Manhole guard



Oct. 11, 1932. R. J. KENT 1,882,150

MANHOLE GUARD Filed April 17, -19550 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 N lmilllw N mm um.

mvENToR E.Jen

u l': 54 N A ATTORNEY Oct. l1, 1932. R. J. KENT 1,832,150

MANHOLE GUARD Filed April 17. 19:50 s sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYR.\J. KENT MANHOLE GUARD Oct. l1, 1932.

Filed April 17, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR IE. JIe/w ATTORNEYPatented Oct. 1l, 1932 UNITEDA s'iATfl'S',j

PAreNT @FF-loaf noisnn'i J. KENT, or JAMAICA, NEW YORK, AssieNon -roAMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMANYQA CORPORATION OF NEW YORKkMANrioLn GUARD Application sied Aprilia 193e., serial iafiiaose.

This invention relates to Vmanhole guards of an improved form, and moreparticularly to devices of this character which are adapted to becollapsed into a comparatively smallIV 3 form to require only ar minimumamountv of,

space for storage. i The novel features which are consideredcharacteristic of this invention ar'eset forth with particularity in theappended claims. The invention itself both as to its organization andmethod of operation, together with other objects and advantages thereof,will be further explained in the followingV detailed description havingreference to the accompanying drawings consisting of the followingfigures. j V., j j.

Figure 1 is an elevational view of thermproved device showing itssections in'extended position. i j

Fig. 2 isa perspective view showing the device in position about amanhole. j

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the guard in collapsed position:

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are sectional views taken on the line Af-A of 1,showingthe various positions the kelements assume infolding the guard toits collapsed formation.

Referringtothedrawings,the improveddevice is shown as comprising foursect-ions 5, 6, 7 and 8 which are hingedly connected together. Thematerial `for the framework-of these sections may be formed ofpipe,tubular or other suitable material.- j The sections and 7 are providedwith vertical members 9, 10 and 9', 10 and horizontal members 11, 12,and 11, 12, respectively.

The vertical members 9, 10, and 9, 1 0 of the sections 'and 7 areprovidedwith'reinforced joints 13. Horizontal members 11,12, andll,

12 are welded or otherwise'suitably connected tothe reinforced joints.l;

rEhe section 6 interconnects'v the sections 5 and 7 by horizontalmembers 14 and 15.. The ends of' the horizontal members 14 terminate in'tubular porti-ons 16, 1,6 carried by the sections`5 and 7 Theseportions are hinged on the verticalvm'embers 10 and 9 of the sections 5and .7 respectively, between the fixed joints 13 and collars 17. ,Thehorizontal'member 15 is attached `at its'ends to the collars -members inwhich they are mounted.- Y

1S, 18, which 'are'v seated on the reinforced joints 13,13 carried bythe vertical members 10 and 9, -of sections'5 and7, respectively.

Thesections 5 and 7 are provided withextensibleporti'ons (':omprisimr`members `19 and 20, respectively.- These 'members lmay Vbe composed oftubular piping material formed into substantially inverted U-shape'having vertical side portions interconnected by horizontaltop portions.@The vertical portionsl are telescopically mounted` in the verticalmembers 9 andlO, and 9f, 10 of the sections 5 andi?. The ends of thevertical portions may be upset to prevent the extensiblemembers frombecoming disengaged from the Panels 21 and 21 are respectively carriedby the extensible members 19 'and 20. These panels may be substantiallyrectangular in shape, and may be composed of suitable metal.

The upper portions of the panels may be looped or otherwise hingedlyconnected to the horizontal portions of the extensible members, andsuitable legends may be in* scribed on theouter 'surfaces ofthe panelsto serve as a warning to pedestrians andl vehicle' drivers. The lowerportions of the panels 21 and 21 are provided with a series of hookedVmembers 22 and 22vwhich engage the upper horizontal membersll and 11/Vof the sections 5 and 7 to"supportthemembers 19 and 20, andthe' legendbearing` panels 21 and 21 in extended position. v g Y Thesection 8 ofthe imprcveddevice consists of a gate which is hinged between thel fixedcollars l'and 23 positioned Von the upright 10 ofthe section'7. Thisgateis shown as provided at its free end witha slidable bolt 24 and a hookportion 25. The hook is adapted to be positioned about the portionbetween the collars 13 andV 26 on the upright 9 of section 5 when theguard is in the position shown in 4Fig."2, and the extended end of thebolt 24 is yadapted ito registerlin an opening in said hook to couplethe sections `ofthe guard together to form an enclosure about-a manholev27'. lt will be` understood Vthat 'while a certain form of Vfasteningis shown anddescribed in connection with the gate, other suitable formsof fasteningfmay be employed. Chains 28 may be secured to apertured lugsprovided near the corners of the eXtensible members 19 and-2O to tie thesections together at their upper portions.

Where themanhole about which the improved guard :is to be placed lies ina 'restricted space, for instance between traels on which street carstravel in opposite directions', theiomirationfof the 'guard may :beCheli-ged Vfrom the rectangnlanforination indicated'in Fig. 2 to asubstantially diamond formation. When theguard is placed in the latterformation about the manhole lying between the pairs of tracks, the carspass eich other at this point without interferingvwith said gufld- Wi enit is desired 'to remove thf'e guard from-its set-up position about themanhole for thepurpose of'etoring, or transporting it ite'anot'he'rloc'ation',fit is-'collap'sed'in the 'following manner. The 'chains 'are'un'hooked the `e:reensibleI 'members "and ,their p aneis 'areraisedsiifoiently to release the hooks on thejbotto'ms ofthe panels from theirengagement'withthe upper horizontal members.

'The Ayertical llegs "of the extensible members are Vthen 'lowered 'intothe tubular uprights "of 'their respective sections. When thelowerpeiati has been completed,the corners ff 'of the horizontal barsofthe 'extensible .mein-Y bers will resten the tops v"of theurpriights'of 'their associ-ated sections, andthe hooksy onthe panelsjvi'll engage 'the lower horizontal meinb'er's, It will Vbe, noted,"asmoreclearly indicated 'in l2 'of thefdrawingsftbat the.

'panels are positioned onvthe'outsid'eof the liori'zontalmembers of onesection, and on the Y inside of the "horizontal members ofthe othersection. The free ends Vwithfthe hooks of the vpanels will" Vappearonthe 'inside of the seotion in the iirst instance "and on the outside"of the section inthe second instance. y A To show thevarious positionsthefeljemen'ts Aassu'x'ne in folding the'gu'ard to itsnc'ol'lapsedposition, reference `may 'be hadto Figs. d to f f7, inclusive, inwhichthe stagesY of the folding 'operationare sequentially depicted. In Fig.i

4 thenguar'd is sh'o-wninits normal'jS'et-up positionfV YThe firststep'take'n to fold the 'guard 'after 'its extensible members are 'col Yla"psed as abovefdescribed, Consists in unfastening 'the gate 8 'fromitsengagement with 'the upright 9 of sectionf. The section 4in-Holudingjt-he liori'zontal'bar 1"2 is swungabont vthe ,post 10andgpivotedand folded upon the section including the horizontaljba'r l5,as

shownin Fig. 5; The gate v8 ris also' swung inwardly toyso'mesuchposition as indicated `in Fig'j. The now folded sections including thehorizontal .bars 15 and-12 'are swung e 'upon "the post V9 asa 'pivotinto thepos'tion 'shown in Fig. 6 so `thatfthe horizontal 'bars'iaandfiaf now lie'paralieltoeaoh 'otlier and above 'the'.'gate '8. Thegate i8 ie then swung i'about the `post 'lOfas :a 'pivot and Vthe hookvV-I`*`ig.{.Y thexppstQ cannot thus fsw-ing -or'rotate when engaged bythe hook 25, it will be obvious that all the sections are lockedtogetherintheir collapsed position. It should also be noted that beforethe sections includi'ngthemem-'bers i12 and 15 are swung into the,collapsed position shown in Fig. 6, the gate 8 must have previouslyVAbeen'rotated into 'ie for the reasonthat if the post '1o Vis swungabout the pew es. a pivoi i@ pas heaven the gateS andthe member 12 ofFig. 5', the

post 10( will then prevent'the gate Sfro'm -Abeing swungab-oiit toengage the post 7'9. d *On lyi'fariiy before the 'poet `vlo is inoiight.down frito juxtaposition with the post lio', so that theQ-po's't l0 isVin eect swung outside the Vgate ih'epost 9 without interference 4withthe post Tt 'should be noted 'that when the ysection includingthebarlvQyof isswungabou't so that 'bar izlunderliesjthefbar 15 of Fig.l as shown in Fig. 5, the hooks Q2 which rest upon the horizontal bar l2fwhen 'the panel "21 in its'loweredipositionwillbecaught onder thehorizontalbar 15, lthereby locking the parietal soth'a't it `o'afnnotlheelevated. l imilarl,y, in Fig. 1 when these'ction including thehorizontal har lfea'rrying with it' rthe now Vvfolded bar'lQ is :swung'around so ,thatthe bar 'I5 overlies'the'b'ar 1'2 'as "shown inFig. 6,the hooks'2`2" Vwhich 'will rest upon the bar l2 when `the .panel "21".is in Y'lowered "position, wililbe caught funderthe ybar 15 to prevent'felevation of the ipa-,nel`Q1"` Conseqiiently,

when :the gguard is in completely collapsed position with 'the hookaoengaging the "vertical post 9 as shown in'Fig. 7., both panels 21 and215', will -beloclied in their lowered positions. i

T efguafrd its foldedorcollapsed position is of `such compact formation'that it maybe readily inserted within a manhole land a cover tvp-lacedthereon, V'anilfso stored overnight or longeri as maybere'quired. It

Ewil-lnbe apparent that-"the .guard -i'nay be' `also vreadilytransported in its collapsed position, and will require onlyaminimum'famount 'of Space- .Y Wihen 'itis desired to thegua'rfcl'upffrom its collapsed position, the gatejis' 'unlocked and v the foursections fareex'tended as previiously described-.7 The "eiitensible''members and Ltheir asso'eated panels may be thus ele- .the other hand,if the y'gate l8 'is swung nlli) What is claimed is:

1. A manhole guard comprising a plurality of rigid sections hingedlyconnected to each other, and legend bearing extensible memberstelescopically mounted in certain of said sections, and means forsupporting said members in extended position above said sections.

2. A manhole guard comprising a plurality of hingedly connectedsections, extensible members telescopically mounted in certain of saidsections, and panels mounted on said extensible members for supporting.said members in raised position upon said sections.

3. A manhole guard comprising a plurality of hingedly connectedsections, extensible members telescopically mounted in certain of saidsections, means mountedfon said extensible members for supporting themin extended position above said sections, andV a member pivoted toonesection and engaging an adjacent section to connect the sections4together' to form an enclosure.

4. A manhole guard comprising a plurality of hingedly connected sectionshaving horizontal porti ons, extensible members telescopically mountedin certain of said sections, and legend bearingV panels'associated withsaid extensible members and engaging said hori- `aontal portions tosupport said extensible members in raised position above said sections.

5. A manhole guard comprising a plurality of hingedly connected sectionshaving horizontal portions, extensible members telescopically mounted incertain of said sections, legend bearing panels 'associated with saidextensible members and engaging said horizontal portions to support saidextensible members in raised position above said sections, and a memberpivoted to one section and-engaging an adjacent sectionto connect thesections together to form an enclosure.

6. A manhole guard comprising a plurality of sections adapted to beconnected to each other to form an enclosure, legend-bearing extensiblemembers telescopically mounted in certain of said sections, means car- Yried by said members and engaging said sections for supporting themembers in raised position upon the sections, and hinged connectionsbetween the sections arranged to permit of folding said sectionstogether in collapsed formation.

7. A manhole guard comprising three hinged sections, members slidablymounted in two of said sections and adapted to be extended fromcollapsed'position in said sections, and a fourth section hinged to oneof the sections and adapted to engage another section to form anenclosure, saidfourth section being arranged to engage one of thesections when the slidable members of said two sections are in collapsedposition to lock the sections together in such position.

8. A manhole guard comprising three hinged sections two of said sectionsbeing adapted to be collapsed, a gate memberhinged to one of thesections and having means to engage another section to form with saidhinged sections, a four-sided enclosure, the three sections being sohinged together that they may be folded upon each other in the collapsedposition of said two sections, and said gate member being so related tothe folded sections as to engage with one of the sections to'lock thesections in collapsed position.

9. A manhole guard comprising three hinged sections, two of saidsections adapted to be collapsed, a gate member hinged to one of thesections and having means to engage another section toform with saidhinged sections a four-sided enclosure, the three sections being sohinged together that they may be folded upon each other in the collapsedposition of said two sections, and said gate member being so related tosaid sections that it may be vengaged with the same section with whichit was engaged when the sections were opened up and when so engaged lockthe sections in folded and collapsed relation.

10. A manhole guard comprisingy three hinged sections, twov of saidsections-being adapted to be collapsed, a gate member hinged to one ofthe sections and having means to engageanother section to form with saidhinged sections a four-sided enclosure, said three sections being sohinged that the second section may be folded upon. the section to whichsaid gate member is hinged, and a third section folded upon said secondsection in a plane substantially parallel to the first section, saidgate member being so related to said collapsed sections that it may beenga-ged with the third section to lock the guard in l folded andcollapsed position. y

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification thisth day of Aprn, 1930. n VvROBERT J. KENT.

ies

